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Editor's Report

The past 12 months will be remembered by many of us as the most introspective period of our lives. The events of 9/11 affected our psyche as well as our industry.

I can't imagine that there's
a person among us whose life wasn't changed in some way by the events of
September 11, 2001. For most, the initial horror and outrage were soon
replaced by an individual response of one sort or another.

In public, a renewed sense of patriotism and, for many, spirituality,
took shape in a variety of ways. Privately, the reactions were as unique
as the individuals who make up this great country of ours.

Not many days after 9/11, I found myself trying to return to a sense a
normalcy, as much for my own well-being as to assure my two young
daughters that the world wasn't coming to an end-even when I wasn't so
sure that it wasn't.

We went to Sam's Club and bought slabs of our favorite ribs to barbecue
in the backyard. We checked out movies from the library, including some
Marx Brothers classics, to remind ourselves that, even in dark times,
there can be a place for whimsy.

We also counted our blessings, which, with good cause, seems to have
become something of a national pastime. Our most personal ones, directly
tied to the World Trade Center, include the fact that for years
preceding our move to Michigan, my wife Lynn worked on the 88th floor of
the south tower, and that my parents, who still live less than five
miles from Ground Zero, weren't harmed. There was plenty to be thankful
for.

Any cancer survivor will tell you that, after beating that dreadful
disease, they look at life differently, and gain a new appreciation for
"typical" days. The events of last September left most of us feeling
somewhat like those survivors, increasing our sense of vulnerability and
often pushing us to strive for nothing more than typicalness in our
days. Even when typical days are highly imperfect ones, it's still easy
to appreciate them now.

In the months immediately following the attacks, I chose to not write
about them. Instead, I used this page to write about the availability of
service information, the future of the Internet, the impact of
asbestos-related lawsuits and other industry issues.

That was a personal decision based on a sense of duty to our readers as
well as a desire to return things to normal, not to pretend that nothing
ever happened.

In the days, weeks and months since 9/11, returning to normal in the
automobile industry has been anything but easy. In the short term,
retail sales of cars and services nearly came to a standstill. Trade
shows were cancelled, and those that went on were lightly attended.

Our beloved publishing industry has also been impacted negatively. A
decrease in the number of advertising dollars, already a significant
challenge before 9/11, only got worse after. But that is a storm that
will be weathered.

For all of us here at Motor Magazine, the September issue with its
annual Top 20 Tools Award celebration is always extra special. In that
respect, this year is no different, and we'd like to acknowledge our
appreciation to the many competitors whose participation makes it all
possible.

In addition to the Top 20 Tools feature, to memorialize the events of
last September, Tom Nash, our Detroit Editor, has compiled a report on
what impact the tragedy has had on the auto industry. What Tom uncovers
is that the implications of what happened last September go far beyond
the obvious. But, as you'll see, there is also every reason for us to be
confident that such an important and resilient industry has a bright
future.